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Cameron says Ukraine can use British weapons in Russia

REUTERS
Saturday, May 04, 2024

KYIV: Ukraine can use British weapons inside Russian territory, former British prime minister David Cameron said on Friday.

Cameron, currently the secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affairs, made the comments during a trip to Kyiv on Friday.

“Just as Russia is striking inside Ukraine, you can quite understand why Ukraine feels the need to make sure it’s defending itself,” Cameron told reporters during the trip, where he also said Britain would supply Ukraine with $3.75 billion ( £3 billion) annually as long as necessary.

Cameron said it should be up to Ukraine, saying it has the “right” to decide how it uses Western weaponry in its conflict with Russia, which entered day 800 on Friday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed the need for more military aid while thanking Cameron for the financial commitment.

“First of all, armored vehicles, ammunition, and missiles of various types,” Zelensky said on Friday during a meeting between the two, according to the president of Ukraine official website.

Russia cautioned Britain’s support could further escalate tensions across Europe.

“This is a direct escalation of tension around the Ukrainian conflict, which would potentially pose a threat to European security,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow on Friday.

Peskov was also responding to remarks made by French President Emmanuel Macron a day earlier.

On Thursday, Macron said he was “not ruling anything out” when it comes to sending Western troops to Ukraine, should Russian forces break through the front line.